Spotfin Burrfish - Chilomycterus reticulatus

The Spotfin burrfish is of no interest to commercial fisherman. But some are occasionally used in aquariums.

Spotfin burrfish are distributed worldwide in tropical seas but occurrance is not homogenious throughout the tropics.

Spotfin burrfish can be identified by the lack of dorsal spines, 12-14 soft dorsal rays, no anal spines, 11-14 anal soft rays. The adults grey to brown with a black gular band and small black spots on upper surfaces and fins. The small one like the one pictured here, are blue with dark spots above witht the spots descending to belly.

Adults most commonly found in reefs and over soft bottoms to depths of 100 meters are sometimes deeper in the warmer waters. Spotfin burrfish are solitary and feeds on hard-shelled invertebrates.

Interesting not is that spotfin burrfish venomous!